•  

    Over 1 Nannes 1wd-W-4-0-0-0-4

    9-1 - Dutch star-turned Australian performer Nannes kicks off his spell with a silly leg-side wide before correcting his line with great success. Wicket! Akmal fancies a dip over the off-side but gets his heave all wrong, holing out to deep third man with nothing more than a fat edge. That's a huge blow and means all the more pressure will be on Afridi and Umar later. For now though it's Hafeez, who opens his account with a Test match-esque cover drive for four before biding his time through a string of sighters.

  •  

    Pakistan's Pursuit

    Kamran and Butt head out to the middle, with the Australians and umpire right behind 'em. Meanwhile, Sanjay Paratut has mailed in to praise Aamer, who he hails as "the perfect answer to a country needing to move on from the days of Shoaib Akhtar, Rana Naved and - yes - even Mohammad Asif, who shouldn't even be in the World Twent20 squad." While I thoroughly agree with the Naved and Akhtar deduction, I must say that throwing the towel in on Asif's behalf is a touch harsh, Sanjay. What do the rest of you think? Mail me at jonhenry.wilson@teamtalkmedia.co.za.

  •  

    Aussies Finish On 191 All Out

    A phenomenal last over hardly changes the hefty complexion of Australia's total, which was built largely on the heroics of Watson and Hussey. Aamer and Ajmal stood out for Pakistan, while Afridi's shaky form with the ball continues to worry the brains trust. Stick around for the chase. If Kamran and Butt can pull off a repeat of yesterday's stand against Bangladesh before Afridi and company step up in support, we could be in four a quite thrilling clash.

  •  

    Over 20 Aamer W-W-W-W-0-W

    191-10 - Wicket! Haddin falls in the cause for big, quick runs, slapping a fat edge to short third man and in comes Johnson, who is a shade of the big-hitter he used to be of late. Wicket! A standard yorker takes care of his quest over Cow Corner, flummoxing the left-hander all ends up to nail his middle stump. Wicket! Smith comes into to face the hat-trick ball, staves it off before running Hussey out in the quest for the scampered bye. Great work from wicketkeeper Akmal, whose tenpin bowling skills step to the fore. Wicket! Tait in now and it's a repeat of the previous delivery as Akmal again hauls out his ten-pin prowess to get rid of a diving Smith. Wicket! Tait faces up on the back of four wickets in four balls and he manages to make sure it's not five in five before playing onto his stumps to make it five in six. Quadruple wicket-maiden plus one - can you believe it...?

  •  

    Over 19 Ajmal 2-W-1-1-2-6

    191-5 - Butt, who dropped a sitter earlier, fluffs his groundfielding at short fine-leg, forcing backward square-leg to run around to prevent the boundary. Wicket! Those two runs turn out to be White's last for the day, as he tries to pin a short-ish ball over square-leg to no avail. Simple catch to the bread basket for Alam and the new man in now is wicketkeeper-batsman Haddin. Set for pretty decent four-over figures, Ajmal's day with the ball comes to an expensive end as Hussey punts six over extra cover to close the penultimate over of the innings.

  •  

    Over 18 Sami 1-1-3nb-2-1-0-4

    179-4 - With Hussey back in the hut, Sami hopes to close his spell on the quiet. And that he almost does with some apt line and length, only to have it ruined by the left-hander's pre-empted paddle over short fine-leg for four.

  •  

    Over 17 Ajmal W-1-1-W-1-2

    167-4 - Wicket! It was just a matter of time before one big hit too many got the better of Hussey, as he holes out on the midwicket fence much to the delight of Pakistan. In comes brother Mike, rather than willow-wielding White. Wicket! Hussey two watches from the non-striker's end as Ajmal enjoys the double blow, as Watson cops a veritable yorker (from a spinner, yes) to the back pad dead in front of the stumps. Easiest decision for the umpire and off walks the non-centurion. White is in now

  •  

    Over 16 Sami 6-2-1wd-6-6-6-1

    162-2 - Watson has pretty much taken a backseat to Hussey's heroics now, as the middle-order man absolutely clobbers six over long-off. Sami is at an utter loss as to where to pitch the ball next and in the process coughs up a very wide wide. I simply have to know who his bat sponsor is for I must get me one of these meaty willows as Hussey goes huge over midwicket for six, bigger over long-off for six more and massive over long-on for six again to totally humiliate Sami and bring up his half-century too boot. Just 27 balls to get there thanks largely to two four and five sixes. I think I've type the word 'six' quite enough this over, thank you very much.

  •  

    Over 15 Ajmal 0-4-2-0-1-4

    134-2 - Hussey spanks four across midwicket and the pinpoints no-man's land on the off-side to perfection, dancing two for a delightful two on the up. He appears to have met his match on his latest swipe through midwicket though, but Alam opts to stop the boundary on the safe bounce rather than go for the catch. At this rate, I think the latter option would have been the better bet.

  •  

    Over 14 Sami 0-2-4-0-1-0

    123-2 - With Hussey and Watson going at it all guns blazing, Afridi is forced to return Sami to the attack earlier than he would've liked. The move almost works, but Butt drops a veritable sitter offered by Hussey's flat hit to long-off. Catches don't come much easier than that and I remember grassing a similar one in an inter-office clash recently. I felt terrible as we lost the match and I imagine Butt will feel the same if Hussey goes onto greater heights.

  •  

    Over 13 Afridi 6-1-6-1-1-0

    116-2 - Hussey refuses to play second fiddle to Watson and duly dances down the wicket to sail six over long-on. A casual single leaves Watson to do the same, but he prefers his six over long-off. AB de Villiers showed in the earlier game today that straight hitting is certainly the order of the day in these conditions.

  •  

    Over 12 Ajmal 0-0-4-1-1

    101-2 - Spinner Ajmal is into the attack now and it's about time too. Normally a shoe-in for near perfect length, he begins with an awful full toss which deserved six but is lucky to get away with just four from Watson, who opts over extra cover. And so arrives Australia's collective century at 8.41 runs to the over.

  •  

    Over 11 Afridi 1-1-2-4-0-1

    95-2 - Watson is full swing now and there is no way is going to let a rank full toss go unpunished, duly clubbing a one-bounce four across midwicket. It's baseball-esque stuff as usual for the very talented opener. He now has his highest Twenty20 International score - 63 not out. Previous best was against the Windies earlier this year.

  •  

    Over 10 Hafeez 1-6-6-0-1-0

    86-2 - Watson goes the aerial route again, savaging six hard and flat over long-on and then clubbing six more over backward square-leg to bring up his half-century. It's the second of his Twenty20 International career and this one has taken him just 31 balls, four fours and three fat sixes included. Australia's run-rate sitting at 8.6 to the over at the halfwaymark of their knock.

  •  

    Over 9 Afridi 1-0-0-1-4-2

    72-2 - He went without a wicket against Bangladesh and for now it's more of the victim-less same for Afridi, who can't even keep the boundaries at bay either. Watson pounces as quick as a flash on some length and width offered by the leg-spinner in spanking four through backward point.

  •  

    Over 8 Hafeez 1-4-2-1-W-0

    64-2 - Still no Ajmal as Hafeez gets another go, offering Watson a rank full toss to kick off his return spell. Watson obliges with four down the ground as straight as an arrow before belting a gift long-hop to midwicket, where the fielder puts in a great dive to prevent a possible four. Wicket! With Clarke back on strike, Hafeez repays his captain's faith in him, removing 'Pup' with nothing more than a gentle floater. Clarke tries to cut the 'arm' ball, which is far too close to his body to do so and duly has his stumps rattled. Hussey in now, David not Mike.

  •  

    Over 7 Afridi 1-0-0-0-0-0

    56-1 - Leg-spinner and captain Afridi decides it's time to take matters - and the ball - into his own hands. Watson struggles against the purchase off the track and some additional bounce, trying his utmost to get the ball away but only succeeding in thudding a host of miscues barely off the block.

  •  

    Over 6 Sami 1-1-1-W-0-4

    55-1 - Seamer replaces spinner as Warner and Watson bring up their 50-run partnership off 32 balls. Sami is wise to their tricks for now though, and he knows that anything back of a good length will travel. A string of full deliveries give way to a short ball, which sits up and begs to be pulled. Wicket! Warner cannot resist and pounces in a flash. He fails to middle it, however, and watches in dismay as backward square-leg hangs onto a good catch. Captain Clarke in now, more than happy to witness Watson's latest pivot'n'pull through square-leg for four more from the non-striker's end. And so ends the Powerplay.

  •  

    Over 5 Aamer 0-2-1-4-4-0

    48-0 - Aamer may well bowl is four-over allotment through as Afridi asks a third over on the trot of his star pace ace. Watson again rides his luck, nearly holing out on the deep of the off-side to a leading edge but watching with a smile as the fielder's dive is nowhere near long enough for the catch. He then decides some time spent at the non-striker's end is what's required for the time being, watching as Warner closes the over with back-to-back boundaries over midwicket and extra cover respectively. The decision to extend Aamer a third consecutive over has certainly not worked.

  •  

    Over 4 Hafeez 4-2-6-1-4-0

    37-0 - No bravery from Hafeez, who won't dare offer flight and loop, darting 'em in instead. Watson doesn't mind, and duly slog-sweeps for four. That almost transpires as his last scoring shot of the day, but a skewed attempt through mid-on spills to midwicket, where Misbah drops a sharp, one-handed chance for the catch. Buoyed by the lifeline, Watson makes it count with six screamed over midwicket. Warner isn't far behind, and tries to match his batting partner down the ground but he hasn't got the carry and it's just four.

  •  

    Over 3 Aamer 1-1-2-2-1-0

    20-0 - Watson squirts away a yorker for one before Warner hacks through midwicket for one more. Returning to the strike, the right-hander bangs some shorter length over extra cover and runs two as the ball plugs in the deep. Two more follow as a swivel more than a pull brings Watson runs through the on-side. The over closes with its second yorker, which Warner cops to the toes and almost has role onto his stumps.

  •  

    Over 2 Hafeez 0-1-0-0-1-6

    13-0 - Sami shared the new ball with Aamer yesterday but today spinner Hafeez will do the job. Cramped for room, Warner tries to force the issue down the ground and makes do with a skewed single. Watson is left to the strike for the first time today, well aware that deep midwicket is pegged back for his favoured shot. After taking in a couple of sighters, he steers the ball to that exact area but it's along the ground so no alarms for Australia. Warner can't be bothered with groundstrokes though, cranking the first six of the match high'n'hard over long-off to close an otherwise decent over from the off-break bowler.

  •  

    Over 1 Aamer 0-4-0-0-0-1

    5-0 - Wonderfully economical against the Tigers yesterday, Aamer's errant leg-side line fetches early stick at the hands of Warner, who punishes four over midwicket with some wristy strokeplay. The southpaw seamer then quickly corrects his approach to beat the left-hander outside the off-stump and force him to the backfoot defence. A lovely slower ball then meets Warner's ribs, with the young batsman far too early on the shot.

  •  

    Game On

    Pleasantries, anthems, further handshakes and dancing girls out the way, we're all set. Warner and Watson to wield the willow first up, as they take to the field with umpires Tarapore and de Silva and the Pakistan XI behind 'em.

  •  

    Weather And Pitch

    Conditions sitting pretty in St Lucia, with temperatures of about 30 degrees Celsius and high humidity levels all around. Pitch-wise, it's the same track that India and South Africa did battle on earlier today. Definitely more seam movement on offer than in Guyana, but Pakistan spin battalion will no doubt have a say somewhere down the line. Baking sun overhead, Ravi Shastri knows the playing surface will get progressively harder.

  •  

    Starting Xis

    Australia: Shane Watson, David Warner, Michael Clarke, Cameron White, David Hussey, Michael Hussey, Brad Haddin, Steven Smith, Mitchell Johnson, Dirk Nannes, Shaun Tait. Pakistan: Salman Butt, Kamran Akmal, Shahid Afridi, Abdul Razzaq, Misbah-ul-Haq, Mohammad Hafeez, Umar Akmal, Fawad Alam, Mohammad Sami, Mohammad Aamer, Saeed Ajmal.

  •  

    Team News

    As they eluded to a couple of days ago, the Aussies have indeed dropped Hauritz for leg-spinning all-rounder Smith. No place for Harris, Paine or Christian either. Pakistan stick with the same winning combo that did the business against Bangladesh on Saturday, again resisting the urge to play Mohammad Asif ahead of, say, Alam.

  •  

    Toss

    News from out in the middle reveals captain Clarke has triumphed in the flip of the coin and Australia will bat first.

  •  

    Let's Hear From You

    Going to be a massive clash, this. I can hardly wait for Afridi versus Johnson, Kamran versus Nannes, Warner versus Sami - the battles within the war are endless. Sami did entirely well to fill the void left by Umar Gul yesterday but can he manage as much again today? Let's hear your thoughts on this and anything else, really. Mail me at jonhenry.wilson@teamtalkmedia.co.za.

  •  

    Earlier Today

    Suresh Raina clubbed the third ever Twenty20 International century as India pretty much booked 'emselves a berth in the Super Eights stage with a comfortable 14-run victory over South Africa. After yesterday's win over Afghanistan, Shahid Afridi's men can effectively do the same with a win over Michael Clarke and company today.

  •  

    Greetings

    Hello and welcome to our over-by-over commentary of the World Twenty20 Group A clash between the Aussies and Pakistan at Gros Islet in St Lucia.